Beverage Cards - Purchase precruise or onboard?

[jimlssi]

If you purchase beverage cards/wine bottle packages through ship's services in advance of your cruise, do you pay (state) sales tax? Ship's services did not seem to know the answer. If the answer is yes, then I have in mind "gifting" myself an onboard $ credit, then buying the beverage card/package when we are at sea. I like to avoid a long list of individual drink charges to proof at the end of the cruise, plus I just like to have that expense behind me before I sail.

Thanks

Jim

[ebseckar]

We purchased these online before our recent cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale. We did not have to pay any tax. The cocktail and wine cards and a bottle of liquor were waiting in our cabin when we arrived. There was also a letter letting us know that the dining room staff was aware of our prepaid wine package (and they were).

[canadarocks]

What I learned from someone here is to order them online and choose the "in room, at sea" option. Supposedly that way they'll be in the room without sales tax added.:D:cool:

[jtl513]

We have not been charged state sales tax on wine or coffee cards pre-paid on-line and delivered to our cabin.

[jimlssi]

Thanks for the prompt reply. Online and precruise it will be!

Jim

[Typhoon1]

Pre Cruise will save you the sales tax and 15% gratuity.

[jtl513]

Pre Cruise will save you the sales tax and 15% gratuity.

Incorrect. The 15% service charge is included in the price you pay, wherever you purchase. For example, the 10-glass wine card is always $41.40, which is $36 + 15%.

[woody14h]

I still cannot find the liquor purchase area on the HAL site. Can find wines etc. Am I missing something or do I have to call ship services?

[ebseckar]

I still cannot find the liquor purchase area on the HAL site. Can find wines etc. Am I missing something or do I have to call ship services?

 

To purchase liquor, do the following:

Go to HAL's site

Click on "For Booked Guests"

Click on "Onboard Gifts" until you get to a login page

Login

Select guest

Click on "Choose Gifts"

Click on "Spirits & Liquors"

 

That should get you there. This is not an exculsive list of what is available. If you don't see what you are looking for, you can call Ship Services and order through them.

[woody14h]

To purchase liquor, do the following:

Go to HAL's site

Click on "For Booked Guests"

Click on "Onboard Gifts" until you get to a login page

Login

Select guest

Click on "Choose Gifts"

Click on "Spirits & Liquors"

 

That should get you there. This is not an exculsive list of what is available. If you don't see what you are looking for, you can call Ship Services and order through them.

 

Thank you I've been trying to find this.

[Typhoon1]

Incorrect. The 15% service charge is included in the price you pay, wherever you purchase. For example, the 10-glass wine card is always $41.40, which is $36 + 15%.

 

Soda card, $18.75 pre cruise, $20.25 on board.

[jtl513]

Soda card, $18.75 pre cruise, $20.25 on board.

I've never bought a soda card, but my Gift Guide and the HAL site says they are $20.70 pre-purchased, same as on-board. That's $18.00 plus 15%.

 

If you paid just $18.75, somebody goofed in your favor.

 

Haven't you ever thought about how they came up with those odd-ball prices, like $41.40 for a 10-glass wine card and $77.63 for a 20-glass one? And $64.69 for a cocktail card?